As stressful as it might seem, you will need to plan a befitting send-off for your deceased loved one. Of course, it is difficult to accept that you can no longer interact with the person as you used to. But the good thing is that you can gain faster closure in the grieving process by organising a funeral that matches the person's wishes.

To achieve this, you need to read their last will and follow any last wishes they may have put down about the ceremony. Besides that, you need to understand the funeral customs and norms of the person's community. Read on to learn some guidelines that make planning an Asian funeral easier.

Establish the Role of the Family

Asian families are naturally closely knit. Therefore, if your spouse is of Asian origin, their family will want deep involvement in the funeral planning process. Sometimes, it can feel like they want to undermine your capability to plan, but you should treat it as a cultural learning curve. 

Typically, the family will ask to hire a monk or priest of their choice. In this situation, you should cooperate and try as much as possible to incorporate their ideas in the event planning. 

Start the Funeral Arrangements

The funeral arrangements of your loved one also need to have a close reference to the Asian culture. For instance, you might need to choose white chrysanthemums flowers. That is because they symbolise a mourning period.

Also, the people attending the funeral will wear different colours depending on their age. For instance, the wife and daughters-in-law may wear white while the grandchildren green. Additionally, those attending the funeral need to turn their backs on the casket. That's because Asians believe that the departed person's soul might still be trapped within the body and hence do not want to interfere with it. They also keep the casket open as a sign of respect.

Plan the Burial or Cremation

Asian communities have divergent views on interring their loved ones. Many Asians opt for cremation and scattering of the ashes in the ocean, while others go for burial. Your responsibility is to find out which practice the family of the deceased prefer.

Planning an Asian funeral calls for attention to detail, as seen above. To ensure that you get everything right, engage a competent and experienced funeral service provider. Since they are well-versed with the process, they will ensure that you give your loved one the best send-off possible.